Chapter 26 - Management of Student Disability Information

Disability Access Services (DAS) views all information pertaining to a student's disability as confidential. Any information obtained by DAS is used to verify the disability, plan for appropriate services, and document service and communication within the DAS office.

Maintaining student disability information as confidential does not guarantee a student’s anonymity. This means that DAS will only share relevant information with individuals responsible for providing and/or implementing accommodations. This may include but is not limited to instructors, staff or service providers. Please contact DAS for further information.

The following are the guidelines used by DAS regarding disability-related information:

All disability-related information for students at Oregon State University is managed by DAS.
Only authorized personnel working at DAS have access to this information.
Beyond the relevant information released to enable DAS to implement and provide accommodations, disability information may be released only when a student has signed a Release of Confidential Information form available by contacting DAS or in the student’s DAS Student Online Services Login. This includes information to be shared with family, other institutions, or a provider.
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADAA) do not allow faculty, family members or third parties access to information pertaining to a student’s specific medical conditions, such as medical or psychiatric records, unless DAS has a signed release from the student.

Submitting an online request for accommodations authorizes DAS to notify instructors of the approved accommodations the student will be using in their course.
The functional impact of a student’s disability may be disclosed to instructors on an educational need-to-know basis.
DAS may engage in discussions or consultations with instructors and/or staff, as needed, in order to effectively implement approved accommodations.
Students may request to review the contents of their own file. This must be done with DAS staff present, with advanced notice.
Students may request a copy of the documentation of their disability by submitting a signed written request, email request using their OSU ONID email account or in person.